Hawaiian Luau Party theme
Aloha
A Luau party is one of the most popular party themes at the moment. It's fun, festive and just great for those hot summer days. Follow my easy party guide and you will be hailed as a Hawaiian hula goddess for evermore!
Supplies
Invitations
Costumes
Decorations
Games
Activities
Food
Favors
Other resources
*My favourite Hawaiian party suppliers *
 UK suppliers
Hawaiian Luau party supplies of all sorts.
- table decorations, scene setters, pinatas, favors, inflatable palm trees....Make this your first stop.
Luau costumes
Mainly for adults but there is no shortage of choices of grass skirts and leis!
Tropical costumes
Another great site for luau party costumes - probably the most extensive. Again the tropical costumes are mainly for adults (check out the 'Big Kahuna' costume for a laugh!) and check out the kids section for future parties.
Hawaiian costumes
As if you didn't have enough choice of grass skirts already, then tak a look here as well.
 US suppliers
Let's Hula party packages
Superb party packages with everything in, plus decorations, favors, pinatas and customized invites which look great. You just need to slip on your grass skirt!
Hula kit n' kaboodle packs
You will not be disappointed if you are looking for a one stop shop. Their favor packs arer my favorite and then you have yard signs, scene setters, hula crafts and music to give you an idea of what they have.
Luau costumes
Fabulous Luau party costumes for adults and kids. They also have flower accessories and room decorations which you won't see anywhere else. Definitely worth a look.
* Hawaiian Luau Party Invitations *
Your invitations could go something like this:
Aloha….child's name
Are you ready to LUAU? – of course you are!
Come and limbo on down at the Tropico Resort: Address
Show time begins at: Time + date
Brush off your grass skirt or flower power shirt and get ready to hula
Flower invitation Make invitations our of colored card and glue on paper flowers
Fruit invitation Make a pineapple shape on colored card. Glue on paper green leaves and write the luau party details on the back
Personalised invitations
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* Hawaiian Luau party Costumes *
Ask the guests to come in grass skirts or tropical island outfits such as sarongs, flower shirts, beach wear, straw hats.
When the guests arrive, give each of them a flower necklace/bracelet/anklet/hair decoration for the girls or bandanas for the boys. You could also find out the kid’s names in Hawaiian and issue small name tags – the kids are usually fascinated by this.
What is your name in Hawaiian?
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* Hawaiian Luau party Decorations *
The decorations are where you can really go to town. Think bright, flowery, tropical and festive and you can't go wrong. There are a heap of websites selling Hawaiian Luau party goods so you need to look around to get the best deals plus don't forget that you can make many of the decorations yourself using card, glue, paints and a little imagination.
Raffia skirting Place raffia skirting around tables
Tikki torches and lanterns If it is an evening party, go overboard with lots of lanterns and tikki torches dotted around the garden or porch
Towel seats Forget chairs and get the kids to sit on beach towels when eating.
Wall decorations String up netting on the walls and attach paper fish and shells. Paint a beach scene on lining paper and attach to the walls. Get down to your local travel agents and ask for posters of tropical islands and even have a few holiday brochures dotted about.
Get flowery Put brightly colored flowers everywhere. Make them yourself out of tissue paper to save money. At the entrance to the party, fill a large bowl with water and float some orchids or lilies in it. Erect a blowup palm tree in one corner of the room or save money and make one yourself. Ask your local carpet shop for long cardboard carpet rolls and then paint them brown and attach some palm leaves made out of green craft paper.
Table decorations Use coconut shells or scooped out pineapples as serving bowls. Serve the drinks in coconut shells or bright plastic cups with a paper umbrella. Dot shells around the tables. If you are a dab hand at napkin folding, make napkins in the shaped of a lotus flower.
How to fold napkins the easy way
Music Get the party swinging with some topical luau party music
This Latin Fiesta CD is a must! (UK customers)
Latin Fiesta CD (US customers)
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* Hawaiian Luau party food *
OK the idea is to get fruity or if you think that the younger kids might turn their noses up at that, bring in the BBQ. The more exciting the food looks the more it is likely to get eaten. Use empty coconut shells, scooped out melons and pineapples, banana leaves, wicker baskets and plastic sand pails as serving dishes to give a real tropical feel.
Fruity kebabs Use seasonal fruits and skewer bite size pieces on sticks. Have a bowl of melted chocolate sauce to dip them in to tempt those who are wary of fruit!
Hawaiian pizza
Snack buckets Serve mini snacks in sand buckets with plastic shovels as serving spoons
BBQ chicken is always popular
Melted marshmallows Toast marshmallows on sticks round a camp fire
Fruit smoothies Put fruits, plain natural yoghurt and a little fruit juice in a blender. Give it a whiz and create a really refreshing smoothie drink. Serve in tall plastic glasses, topped with an umbrella and a glace cherry.
Hawaiian cocktails Mix fruit juices with some lemonade. Top with ice and get cool!
Blue lagoon Add a small dash of blue food coloring to a glass of fizzy lemonade. Top with an umbrella and a bendy straw.
Volcano bombs Pile scoops of ice-cream on a large platter to form a volcano shape. Drizzle with strawberry and chocolate syrup. You could even set it alight by placing a half egg shell on the top filled with a tablespoon of brandy. Set it alight and watch the kid's faces! (Remove the brandy egg shell after the flames die down…)
Banana bread/cake
Pineapple cake
Flower cookies Make or buy plain cookies and top with sugar flowers
Island cake Using a large square tin, prepare a basic cake using a packet cake mix or my
all-in-one cake recipe. When cooked and cooled, cut out small indentations to make an island shape or your choice. Place on a large cake board covered with blue cellophane to represent the sea and then cover the cake with pale yellow frosting to represent the sand. Decorate the cake with plastic palm trees, umbrellas and clusters of sugar flowers.
More kid party food ideas
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* Hawaiian Luau Party activities *
Tropical Sarongs Buy some cheap with material and teach the kids to tie die. Hang to dry and then let them take them home at the end of the party
Coconut heads Give each child a coconut and let them make coconut heads using stick on eyes, wool, puffy paints and other odds and ends. You will need to get some strong craft glue as otherwise the bits will fall off too easily.
Flower necklaces Make paper flowers and then string them together using a darning needle and thread.
Erupting volcano Fill a paddling pool or sandpit with lots of slightly moist sand. Get the kids to each make a volcano sand mound with a hole in the centre. Place a small disposable cup in the hole, put in 1 tablespoon of baking soda plus 2 tablespoons of water in order to make it dissolve. Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to which you have added a few drops of red food colouring, and then watch it erupt! You can repeat the activity over and over again.
Sunshine luau party hats Using fabric paints, get the kids to decorate straw hats
Other craft kits perfect for kids parties
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* Hawaiian Luau Party Games *
Limbo contest This is a real fun acitivity for all ages and really gets the party momentum going and is a must. You can make your own limbo stick easilty out of some garden canes or you can buy a ready made one.
Limbo stick (US customers)
Limbo stick (UK customers)
Hula hoop contest Another great game. The kids are usually much better at it than the adults! You could even get the kids in pairs and get two swinging their hips in one hula hoop.
Musical beach towels Lay out enough beach towels for each child, minus one. Put on the music and get the kids to dance around. When the music stops, each child has to quickly lay down on a towel but the child who doesn't get one is out but can then help you with the music.
Coconut bowling Line up some small plastic bottles filled with sand. Give each child a couple of coconuts and see how many bottles they can knock down.
Digging for treasure. ALWAYS popular with all age groups. Fill a large paddling pool with sand and bury in some small trinkets and coins. Give each child a plastic bucket and see who can find the most treasure.
Coconut bombs Line up some coconuts and see who can hit them the most times using small water balloons .
Beach ball volley ball Use a blow up beach ball rather than a proper volley ball as they are a bit hard.
Piñata Having a piñata is always a great success at kids parties.
Have a supply of extra things just in case the kids want to organise their own games such as Frisbees, kites, a large tub of bubbles and bubble blowing equipment, water balloons etc
More kid party games
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* Hawaiian Luau Party Favours and Prizes *
Fill up beach pails or straw hats with goodies or make tie dyed cloth bags.
Ankle bracelets
Hair flowers
Bandanas and straw hats
Anything with a sea or beach theme e.g. notepads, key rings, stickers
Paper fans
Beach balls and inflatables
Where to get Hawaiian Luau party favors
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*Other Hawaiian Luau Party Resources *
What is your name in Hawaiian?
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Did you know.......? The Hawaiian Islands were formed thousands of years ago by undersea volcanoes. The main island of Hawaii is the most isolated population center on the face of the earth with its nearest neighbour of California being 2,390 miles away.
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